Diagnostic analysis of the techniques of carbonization inTogo (West Africa)

Abstract

Theannual average quantity of the produced charcoal in Togo is 419 963 tons.But the wood densities of species used for charcoal production as well as theoptimal yield of the production techniques are badly known. The objectives ofthis study are i) to determine the wood densities of the used species(priorities and alternatives) in carbonization in Togo, ii) to compare theyield of the traditional mound kiln and casamance improved mound kiln in thecontext of Togo and iii) to determine the optimal distance between theblowholes of the casamance improved mound kiln for the carbonization of heavyand very heavy species. Wood densities of used species in carbonization in Togoare determined by the AFNOR method. The comparison of the yield ofcarbonization techniques and the determination of the optimal distance betweenthe blowholes of the casamance improved mound kiln for the carbonization ofheavy and very heavy woods are achieved by the trial of carbonization. Theresults show that the priority species belong to two classes of wood density(semi-heavy wood and very heavy wood) and the alternative species belong to theclass of lightweight wood density. Moreover the yield of the casamance improvedmound kiln is significantly superior to the one of the traditional mound kiln(p= 0, 000). At last, the distances of 1.5 meters, 2 meters, 2.5 meters and 3meters between the blowholes of the casamance improved mound kiln give all thegood mass yield. But it is 2 meters distances that give fewer unburnt wood.